Second Grade Social Studies Rubrics

Topics by Trimester:

Trimester 1

Individual Development and Cultural Identity

  • A community is a population of various individuals in a common location. It can be characterized as urban, suburban, or rural. Population density and use of the land are some characteristics that define and distinguish types of communities.

  • People share similarities and differences with others in their own community and with other communities.


Civic Ideals and Practices

  • The United States is founded on the principles of democracy, and these principles are reflected in all types of communities.

  • Communities have rules and laws that affect how they function. Citizens contribute to a community’s government through leadership and service.


Trimester 2

Geography, Humans, and the Environment

  • Geography and natural resources shape where and how urban, suburban, and rural communities develop and how they sustain themselves.


Time, Continuity, and Change

  • Identifying continuities and changes over time can help understand historical developments.

  • Cause-and-effect relationships help us recount events and understand historical development.


Trimester 3

Economic Systems

  • Communities face different challenges in meeting their needs and wants.

  • A community requires the interdependence of many people performing a variety of jobs and services to provide basic needs and wants.

Independently and consistently: After instruction introducing a topic, the student has a concrete understanding and can apply skills taught.

Independently: After instruction introducing a topic, the child can complete most work with minimal teacher support.

Guidance and Support: After instruction introducing a topic, the child requires frequent check-ins from classroom teacher to support work completion and comprehension.

Significant guidance and support: After instruction introducing a topic, the child requires small group or 1:1 assistance with teacher scaffolding and tools (graphic organizers, manipulatives, sentence starters, tables, etc.)